Digg/Buzz It Up

POLITICO 44

If there were any doubts that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) was detested by the left wing of the Democratic Party, with whom Lieberman caucuses in the Senate, they’ve now been unequivocally dispelled.

Lieberman’s recent foray into the health care debate follows his 2006 primary loss and his stalwart support for 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain. While Lieberman’s dissent from Democratic dogma had largely been confined to foreign affairs, his latest defections on domestic issues have the left braying louder than ever.

But Lieberman is correct on the merits, while his lefty critics are wrong in their inconsistent and ad hominem attacks against his efforts to forge a genuinely centrist approach to lawmaking.

These attacks are best encapsulated in “Traitor Joe,” Paul Begala’s cri de coeur in The Daily Beast, where the former Clinton adviser blasts Lieberman for supporting a filibuster of the Senate health care reform bill, which includes a public option, accusing Lieberman of siding “with insurance companies against sick people.”

Other progressives echoed Begala’s smear, using descriptions like “corporate sellout” and “back stabber” (The Nation’s Ari Berman) or a “wrench in the works” (Rachel Maddow). Others have urged Senate Democrats to strip him of his committee chairmanships.

But these howls ring hollow. First, Lieberman is no stooge for the Connecticut-based insurance industry. In fact, in the past four years, his fellow Nutmeg State senator, Chris Dodd — who strongly favors the public option — has raised $1.25 million from insurance companies out of a total of $7.4 million (or 17 percent), while Lieberman has raised $427,000 from insurers out of $19.4 million (or 2.2 percent). Campaign cash doesn’t explain Lieberman’s opposition.

Instead, Lieberman’s dispute with the public option is based on sound fiscal reasoning. The concept was consciously designed as a gateway to a single-payer system; private insurers won’t be able to compete with the plan’s government-subsidized, below-market premiums, and before long, we’ll find ourselves in the left’s paradise: Medicare for all. If you think the current Medicare system costs taxpayers dearly, just wait till it covers all Americans.

Moreover, while Democrats have touted polls indicating the public option’s widespread popularity, RealClearPolitics’s Jay Cost devastates those claims, showing that pointed survey questions have skewed results. Red-state Democrats will vote against the public plan because their constituents dislike it.

But what’s most disingenuous about the Democrats’ attacks on their former vice presidential standard-bearer is their inconsistency.

Joe Lieberman is the biggest opportunist I have ever seen. He's not obstructing based on principle he only wants the attention this 5 minutes will give him. The lesson of Tuesday's election is that politicians had better listen to their constituents or risk losing their job. The Conn. voters want the public option by a 65% margin and Joe better listen.

The RCP article you quote shows that AMERICANS want a public option by a 60% margin. Only when you ask the question in a convoluted way ( do you want to lose your insurance to a gov't takeover of healthcare ) as the RCP article suggests, that you get a different response - albeit a small shift. Your assumption that Americans are stupid about the public option just doesn't wash. We know what we want and we do understand.

Lieberman IS protecting his interest with the insurance companies. He was FOR the public option before he was against it ( just check You Tube ) and only turned against it when it looked to become a reality. Since you are a republican operative I wouldn't expect you to see the facts and the reality.

The RCP article you quote shows that AMERICANS want a public option by a 60% margin.

This bill raises all of its money to offset its 1.2Trillion dollar price tag by fining Americans and raising taxes on small businesses. Does this sound like a solution that will help Americans in the long run? It does nothing to address the actual cost drivers of medicine - regulation and liability at all levels of care, from equipment manufacturing to getting your blood drawn. IT DOES NOTHING TO LOWER COSTS.

It has one mission and one mission alone. To put us on a path to single payer health care. The nationalization of 1/6 of our economy under the control of a bunch a retards that can't handle a simple rebate program.

Joe Lieberman knows this, he sees this, he gets it. If only there were more of his kind around during the days of FDR and LBJ. Maybe we wouldn't have $53 trillion in unfunded liabilities in social security and medicare.

The left-wing would do to the Democratic Party what the right-wing has done to the Republican Party. Thankfully, despite what it thinks, the left-wing did not win the election and Obama, like Bill Clinton, governs from near the center. Thus far he has brushed off the left-wing and he should continue to do so.

Joe is a sanctimonious A $$ ole media ho! He just wasn't getting any attention and figured this would be a good way to make himself relevant again. He has campaigned for health care reform going as far as wanting universal health care and has denounced the filibuster, but what the heck, lest we seem hypocritical, let's just be hypocritical.

I want Traitor Joe to go. Not for lack of 'purity' like the 'baggers insist on from their insurgents, but because past performance tends to predict future performance. And let's face it, Joe doesn't have the best record in upholding his obligation to represent the people of Connecticut.

To be blunt, the reason I'd be happy to see the last of Joe is simple...dereliction of duty. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, he is tasked with the job of providing oversight to the Executive Branch. For EIGHT YEARS, while Cheney and Bush reamed the Constitution, implemented "Verschärfte Vernehmung", and used "executive privilege" as a means to thumb their noses at those who DARED to questions them...Joe sat twiddling his his fingers. While the Unitary Executive authorized the NSA to "peep" at private citizens engaging in phone sex, at deployed soldiers talking sweet to their spouses, or any other calls coming into the US from overseas...Joe sat on his hands and refused to even call his committee into session. It was a pathetic display of cowardice and/or negligence.

Lieberman should lose his seat NOT because he supported John McCain and other Republican cronies (though that is galling enough), NOT because he's invested in the health care status quo, but because he has refused to do the job that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is supposed to do. And he's forgotten that his job is to represent the people of Connecticut, of whom 68% SUPPORT what Lieberman has decided is the last straw to his support for health care reform, i.e. the 'public option'.

There is no way to spin what Joey has become. His wife's "employment" record is just a sample indicator of who he really represents. Just read the history of his " positions" and you will clearly see that this man stands for nothing except his own interests which are inexorably bound with the insurance companies he really represents. It is a huge laugh to say that Joey follows his own insights. The record does not lie for Joey and Hadassa Lieberman. I shudder to think of this man as vice president of any entity except an insurance company.

There is no way to spin what Joey has become. His wife's "employment" record is just a sample indicator of who he really represents. Just read the history of his " positions" and you will clearly see that this man stands for nothing except his own interests which are inexorably bound with the insurance companies he really represents. It is a huge laugh to say that Joey follows his own insights. The record does not lie for Joey and Hadassa Lieberman. I shudder to think of this man as vice president of any entity except an insurance company.

I think that Joe Lieberman is what Senators and Reps. used to be. They voted for what they thought was right, not along party lines. Democrats are not always right, and the same is true about Republicans. They should vote in favor or against what the majority of the people want. They all think they know what is best for us, they continue to give us no choice and I think it is going to get much worse before it gets better.

A Republican activitist praising Joe Lieberman for his reasonable" ways. What a surprise! joe Lieberman is more neocon than most Republicans! As a CT citizen who supported Joe for 20 years before his neocon turnaround I'm looking forward to helping boot him out of office in 2012!

I HATE JOE LIBERMAN .. AT LEAST ARLEN SPECTOR .. SWITCHED PARTIES. WHICH IS MORE RESPECTABLE , THAN BEING A DEMOCRAT BY NAME AND A REPUBLICAN AT HEART .. IF HE THINKS THE OTHER SIDE IS "RIGHT" (NO PUN INTENDED) ON THE ISSUES HE SHOULD JOIN THEM IN THE MINORITY !!!!!!!!

I'm guessing that Lieberman has no problems keeping his "public option" of taxpayer-funded subsidies covering his health insurance premiums and costs, while hypocritically denying that same coverage to the same taxpayers who involuntarily pay for his coverage........Not-so-holy-Joe is a chickenhawk warmonger and Bush Jr lackey, and the sooner Lieberman is out of power and permanently disgraced publicly, the better off our society and Constitution will become.

Joe's not following his heart - he's just reneging on the promises he made to voters when he asked for their vote in 2006. Nor is it "sound fiscal reasoning." Sound fiscal reasoning dicates that the status quo, which Joe and the Republicans apparently accept, is not sustainable and that we do need reform. As for Medicare costing taxpayers, nothing costs Americans more - both in health and treasure - than the private insurance-based system that we currently have. Private insurance is more expensive, less efficient, and provides less care per dollar, not to mention those tens of millions who aren't insured at all. Finally, if all of those red-state Democrats are so against Obama's health care reform, why did they vote for Obama in record numbers, and why did Joe Lieberman's constituents in Connecticut for for Obama in such large numbers?

Joe has not problem letting the taxpayers pay his salary, pay for his families health insurance, pension, mortgage, hange out in congress for years on our DIME, never had a Real Job as other in congress just do what ever it takes to keep taxpayers paying for his family's daily living.

Joe Lieberman's family insurance is through FEHB (FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS) INSURANCE BUT HE PLANS TO CAST 1 VOTE TO DENY THE VERY AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING THIS SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAN'S SALARY, HIS MORTGAGE, HIS FAMILIE'S HEALTH INSURANCE, SENT HIS CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGE ALL AT THE EXPENSE FO THE VERY PEOPLE HE NOW PLANS TO SAY

JUST DIE, I DON'T CARE, HOW MANY AMERICANS, YOU JOE'S NOT FROM THE U.S. HE'S FROM ISRAEL, SO HE GET SO MUCH PLEASURE COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY AND RUNNING THE FREE WORLD WITH HIS ONE VOTE, NOT EVEN FROM THIS COUNTRY

THAT ONE VOTE MAKES JOE FEEL LIKE HE'S RUNNING AMERICA

ISRAEL PROVIDES HEALTH INSURANCE TO ALL IT'S CITIZENS NO DOUBT JOE SUPPORTS THAT AND HIS ELDERLY FAMILY MEMEBERS WERE ALSO RECIEPENTS, BUT TO AMERICANS FAMILIES

JOE IS SAYING NO

IT' PAST TIME FOR JOE TO GO, CONN GOT IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME NOW THEY ARE KICKING THEMSELVES FOR BUYING JOE'S LIE THAT HE USED TO GET REELECTED

Joe has not problem letting the taxpayers pay his salary, pay for his families health insurance, pension, mortgage, hange out in congress for years on our DIME, never had a Real Job as other in congress just do what ever it takes to keep taxpayers paying for his family's daily living.

Joe Lieberman's family insurance is through FEHB (FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS) INSURANCE BUT HE PLANS TO CAST 1 VOTE TO DENY THE VERY AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING THIS SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAN'S SALARY, HIS MORTGAGE, HIS FAMILIE'S HEALTH INSURANCE, SENT HIS CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGE ALL AT THE EXPENSE FO THE VERY PEOPLE HE NOW PLANS TO SAY

JUST DIE, I DON'T CARE, HOW MANY AMERICANS, YOU JOE'S NOT FROM THE U.S. HE'S FROM ISRAEL, SO HE GET SO MUCH PLEASURE COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY AND RUNNING THE FREE WORLD WITH HIS ONE VOTE, NOT EVEN FROM THIS COUNTRY

THAT ONE VOTE MAKES JOE FEEL LIKE HE'S RUNNING AMERICA

ISRAEL PROVIDES HEALTH INSURANCE TO ALL IT'S CITIZENS NO DOUBT JOE SUPPORTS THAT AND HIS ELDERLY FAMILY MEMEBERS WERE ALSO RECIEPENTS, BUT TO AMERICANS FAMILIES

JOE IS SAYING NO

IT' PAST TIME FOR JOE TO GO, CONN GOT IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME NOW THEY ARE KICKING THEMSELVES FOR BUYING JOE'S LIE THAT HE USED TO GET REELECTED

Joe has not problem letting the taxpayers pay his salary, pay for his families health insurance, pension, mortgage, hange out in congress for years on our DIME, never had a Real Job as other in congress just do what ever it takes to keep taxpayers paying for his family's daily living.

Joe Lieberman's family insurance is through FEHB (FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS) INSURANCE BUT HE PLANS TO CAST 1 VOTE TO DENY THE VERY AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING THIS SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAN'S SALARY, HIS MORTGAGE, HIS FAMILIE'S HEALTH INSURANCE, SENT HIS CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGE ALL AT THE EXPENSE FO THE VERY PEOPLE HE NOW PLANS TO SAY

JUST DIE, I DON'T CARE, HOW MANY AMERICANS, YOU JOE'S NOT FROM THE U.S. HE'S FROM ISRAEL, SO HE GET SO MUCH PLEASURE COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY AND RUNNING THE FREE WORLD WITH HIS ONE VOTE, NOT EVEN FROM THIS COUNTRY

THAT ONE VOTE MAKES JOE FEEL LIKE HE'S RUNNING AMERICA

ISRAEL PROVIDES HEALTH INSURANCE TO ALL IT'S CITIZENS NO DOUBT JOE SUPPORTS THAT AND HIS ELDERLY FAMILY MEMEBERS WERE ALSO RECIEPENTS, BUT TO AMERICANS FAMILIES

JOE IS SAYING NO

IT' PAST TIME FOR JOE TO GO, CONN GOT IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME NOW THEY ARE KICKING THEMSELVES FOR BUYING JOE'S LIE THAT HE USED TO GET REELECTED